On the go and no time to finish that story right now? Your News is the place for you to save content to read later from any device. Register with us and content you save will appear here so you can access them to read later.

The girlfriend of the Australian man detained in the US for overstaying his visa by one hour has expressed her anguish as his ordeal stretches into a second week.

Baxter Reid, formerly of Canberra and Sydney, is likely to remain locked up in an upstate New York detention centre for at least another seven days after being arrested on the Canadian border on April 24.

The 26-year-old's American girlfriend, Heather Kancso, is fighting for him not to be deported back to Australia with a criminal record.

"It's been 10 days and this is ridiculous," she told news.com.au in New York City.

Kancso said he had been especially helpful in recent months as her mother and father each dealt with health issues.

"He is always offering a helping hand in every way that he can. He would help them to pack things up or take out the trash, or make breakfast.

"He is one of those people that goes above and beyond. He has a beautiful soul."

Kancso has been overwhelmed by the support she has received from Australians after setting up a GoFundMe page to raise money for his legal representation.

"Because of bureaucracy and an unwillingness to listen to him, he is being charged as a felon under random immigration laws," she wrote on the page.

"Imagine going out of your way to comply with the law and having the people who are meant to uphold it sabotage you and turn you into the criminal."

More than 190 people have donated to the cause in four days. The fundraising goal of $8000 had been exceeded by more than $1000 as of Thursday morning, which Kancso said was "unbelievable".

"The response people have shown and the sympathy towards our situation is incredible," she told news.com.au.

"It's a cliched word, but 'thank you'; we really want to show both of our gratitude."

Reid will remain locked up at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility until his case goes before court next Wednesday.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to an Australian man detained in the United States, in accordance with the Consular Services Charter," DFAT said in a statement.